New sports facility for Sheringham opens its doors

The new £12.7million sports complex in Sheringham opened to the public for the first time on Tuesday.

The Reef replaced the Splash Leisure Centre in Sheringham, and includes a gym, fitness studio and a six-lane, 25m pool, funded by North Norfolk District Council.

The main pool was filled at the end of September, a process which took three days and more than 400 cubic metres of water.

There is also a 13m learner pool with a moveable floor which allows water depth to be changed for different activities.

Water at The Reef will be heated through solar thermal energy as well as conventional heating methods which will reduce the centre's reliance on gas.

The facility also has a dance and activities studio and a virtual cycling studio.

Councillor Virginia Gay from North Norfolk District council said the opening day was a moment the council had been looking forward to.

"We wanted to make something truly special, the likes of which North Norfolk has never had before, and now here we are, about to open, about to welcome our first visitors to The Reef," she said.

She was confident that the project would improve the health and wellbeing of people in the District and provide services and support that were not readily available in the area.